Christmas
Step into the festive spirit with English Heritage!
If you've ever wondered what people ate for Christmas dinner in the past, what the 12 days of Christmas were, or what the Romans did in December, you've come to the right place to find out!
Plus, you can try some tasty treats and have a go at our crafty Christmas things to make and do.
Christmas History
Discover Christmases past with these snippets of seasonal history! Find out about a Roman festival that inspired Christmas traditions, and why we bring plants and trees inside to decorate. Explore what the Tudors did for 12 whole days of celebrations, find out how Henry VIII will be spending the season, and test your knowledge with our festive quiz!
A merry, munchy, Christmas
Many people enjoy extra special foods and treats at Christmas today, but what did people eat in the past? Click below to tuck into historical Christmas dinners, discover the story of gingerbread, find out what the Normans ate at Christmas time, and try our tasty Second World War Christmas pudding recipe.
Christmas things to make and do
Craft yourself some seasonal spirit with our selection box of Christmas things to make and do! Put on a show with our easy Victorian puppet theatre download, create your own crackers, colour your way into Christmas, and much more!
Games: challenge your family and friends!
Featured Game: Play the 12 labours of hercules!
Have you got what it takes to to be a hero or heroine like Hercules? Travel back in time to ancient Greece with this brilliant board game to find out...
Download and assemble the game using our simple templates and instructions, then challenge your family or friends to see who will be the first player to complete all 12 labours and win!
Play now!-
Race for Maiden Castle
A rival Iron Age tribe has launched an attack on Maiden Castle, a hillfort in Dorset. Ask a friend to play with you and decide who will defend and who will attack. Will you be the one who survives or succeeds?
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Race to Chesters
Who will be first to deliver a message from the port of Richborough in Kent all the way to Chesters Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall? Challenge your family and friends to this race across Roman Britain.
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Hnefatafl
Play a real Viking board game! Hnefatafl (pronounced ‘neva tapl’), means ‘The King’s Table’ in Old Norse and is a game of tactics and skill! We’ve got everything you need to make and play it at home…
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Siege at Carlisle Castle!
The fate of Carlisle Castle is in your hands! Can you be the first player to race around the board, collect all the trebuchet pieces, break through the castle’s gatehouse, reach the keep and win?
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Snakes and Abbots
Can you win this monastic version of snakes and ladders? If you land on a ladder, follow it to the space above. But if you land on a snake, follow it down. Download a board, spinner and 3D players to play.
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Tudor battleships
Do battle on the high seas! Decide who will be England and who will be Spain, then secretly position your ships on your board and be the first to sink the other player’s fleet by guessing their location.
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ROUNDHEADS VS CAVALIERS
It’s 1643 and the Civil War between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers is raging, but who will get the upper hand? Race to the finish by becoming the first to beseige and claim all 12 English Heritage castles!
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Upstairs and downstairs
Ever wondered what life would have been like working at a grand mansion like Audley End House? Challenge your family or friends and find out who's got what it takes to make it as the new footman or maid!
Christmas at English Heritage
Experience Christmas at an English Heritage site this year!
Discover a magical world of illumination, sound and colour at our Enchanted events, and meet Father Christmas in person at five of our sites this December to hear his festive tales.
Find out more